N. L. Loughborough, Religious Societies (1863)

YMMfKss 0"X ORGANIZATION.

need hnrdly wmm the necessity of every church
keepmg • record of all i, 3 proceedings To this end
a clerk will be necessary, who may be elected m the
same manner. The elder of a church should act n* a
chairman in all its business meetings.

UKCRPTlOfl OF MEMBERS.

Uk all candidates for admission into the church af-
ter its organization, be received by a unanimous vote
ftj the church, unless the opposition to their odmNoa
comes from those who are at the time subject* of labor,
or under the censure of (he church.

LETTERS of commendation.

Thai the churches in different places may not he in.
posed upon by false brethren coming info their mldsl
Jo whom they are strangers, it seems necessary Hud
mmtm moving from place to place, should carry let-
ters of commendation from the church with which
they were last connected. As a form of such letter
of commendation we suggest the following*

This is to certify that . is a membe , of

the beventh-day Advent is t church of [ n

good standing, and one whom we can recommend to
the brethren where his (or her) lot may be cast.
By order nf the church at

f'hvrch Chrtc.

this step we regard a* Strictly in accordance with
f:..m. \\\. \ : -2 r.ir. iii.

AH which is prayerfully submitted in behalf of the
mmistcrs of the Michigan Conference of Seventh-dav
Advent ists. J

J. fif, Loughborough.
Moses Hull,
M. E. Cornell.

Being instructed by the Michigan State Conference,
at its session of May 22, 1863, to prepare a pamphlet
for the churches in Michigan and Indiana, setting forth
the necessary legal steps to be taken in securing meet-
ing-house property, with an abstract of t he laws relat-
ing to wills, &c, I have complied with said instruction
and offer the following as the result, I will first in-
troduce those sections of the law which have a bearing
upon the subject, and shall in subsequent portions of
the pamphlet merely refer to those parts of the law
which are applicable to the case in hand.

J. N. Loughborough.

■ * ft * '

Abstnirt of the Laws of Michigan Relative to the flr-
ganization and Control or Kelisrious Societies.

Beg. 1. The people of the State of Michigan enact,
ritd section two of an act entitled. ■■ An an cuiicerii
ing churches and religious societies, establishing uni-
form rules for the acquisition, tenure, control, and
disposition of property conveyed or dedicated for relig-
ious purposes, and to repeal chapter fifly-two of the
revised statutes," approved February thirteenth, eight-
een hundred and li fly -five, he and the same is hereby
amended so as to rertd as follows :

Sec. 2. It shall be lawful for any number of per
sons of full age, not less than five, who may he desir-
ous of forming themselves into a church, congregation.

Iventist Research

2

LAW OF MICHIGAN

or rcligi,,,,, -..duty, and „b 0 sUaU aif , a Hi , f
sociat.on for that purpose, to assemble C her at such

by ballot, elect any number of discreet persons hem*
talBMN, not less tban three nor more than nfne in .» «, S
ber as trustees, to take charge INDEXES"
tug to and transact all the affairs relat v° ^he ten?"

cietj. At any time after such soeietv shall have h*
comed«ly organized, i, ,l,att be lawful for an7L 0 t

Sthe re c o7«°S V^T°°

manner nut incon^is^nr xuith +1, ^^^uun in any
j *«*<»«siBront with the provisions of" Hii*

cSan P ^ f • T 1 ? 0 ' fle J rtifl0d ^ Moderator,
ctiairman, or president, and clerk, of such meeting

ganizcu, \Lzira atimon of 1862.)

cin; S ^ he U " ful for ** 8acl1 eo«-
grcgaf;,,,,, rchgious society, to choose their minis

man P fofn 1 "'^' "f^' PBr80n ' 0r officiati »6 ^ 6i

corporation , C „, , :r i . '• e " ,g ' '? be tUc P resitlent <'
,aTd nnT., ?■ « , ,e T m ? ctln g s > ^ » ^tc as afore-
said , and at the first election provided for in this act

•wry person who shall have signed the ar "c los and

who K b8e - qUent C , leCtion8 eTcr * I*™on of fnH age
«ho has for six months been a stated worshiper whh'

suVpoh of !b sr i , e , h r < rb gU K r ' y f ° r ° nC *™ ^ L

^Stf* congregation, or society, shnH

son *ar tk £*! '"V" 81 "'' P ricst > "'rale, par-

° m ™ im e clergyman of such congre-nti,,,, ,„■
society, or ,f , l0 ne of them be present, one of the d
tiers, or deacuns, church-wardens, orwtmne i tfcwT
»f. »n.l for wan. of such officers, any o.lnn , , be
^l KWUbt * S 8tated ''"^er in such church! con

giig.ition ot the time when, or the place where anv
«W>on Shall be held, ilt l rast filw^SZ

ON ClIlltCH PROPERTY

day of such elect ion, and such notification shall be
given for two successive Sabbaths on which such
church, congregation, or society shall statedly meet
for public worship, next preceding the election.

Sec, 5* Any two of the elders, deacons, church-
wardens, or vestrymen of such church, congregation,
or society, or if such officers shall not be present, then
any two voters present, to be nominated by a major-
ity of the voters, shall be inspectors of such election,
receive the votes and determine the qualification of
voters; and they shall immediately after the election
certify, under their hands and seals, the names of
persons elected to serve as trustees or vestrymen ; in
which certificate the name by which the said trustees
or vestrymen and their successors in office shall forev-
er thereafter be known aud called, shall be particular-
ly mentioned and specified, and such trustees may in said
certificate be denominated vestrymen, or church- war-
dens and vestrymen, executive committee, or any oth-
er name stated in the certificate : Provitful always,
That they shall have all the power specified in this
act, and be elected in the manner provided for in this
;u*t.

Sec, t>. Such certificate shall be acknowledged by
the person ranking the same. proved by a sub-
scribing witness thereto, before some officer authorized
to take acknowledgment of deeds: and said certifi-
cate, with certificate of acknowledgment or proof there-
of, and the articles of association, shall be received by
the clerk of the county within which the church or
place of worship of such congregation shall be situa-
ted, in a book to be by him provided for that purpose,
who shall be entitled to ten cents for each folio for re-
cording the same ; and thereafter such trustees, and
their successors shall Vic a body corpora To. hy tin?
name expressed in such certificate. (Session laws of
1861.)

Sec, 7, Such trustees may have a common seal,
fiinl may alter the same at pleasure ; and they may
take into their possession and custody all the tempo-
ralities of suuli church, congregation, or eocioly, wheth-
er the same shall consist of real or personal estate.

4

LAW OP MIOHIGAX

and whether the same may have been given, granted
or deviled directly or indirectly to such church, con-
gregation or society, or to any other person or persons
tor their use.

Sec. 8. Such trustees may also in their corporate
name, sue and be sued in all courts and places ; and
they may recover and hold all the debts/ demands,
rights, and privileges, all churches, buildings, bury-
ing-places, and all the estate and appurtenances be-
longing to such church, congregation, or society in
whatsoever manner the same may have been acquir-
ed, or in whose hands sover the same may be held a«
ully and amply as if the right and title thereto had
been originally vested in said trustees ; and they may
hold moneys or personal estate, raised or acquired for
the purpose of erecting churches, or houses of resi-
dence for their minister or priest, or for the purchase
of burial-ground, for a period not exceeding one year
before investment thereof, and not exceeding the val-
ue or amount of twenty thousand dollars ; and they
may hold for a period not exceeding three years any land
which may be lawfully conveyed to them not exceeding
five thousand dollars in value, to be sold for the pur-
pose of raising a fund for erecting, repairing, or im-
proving a church or churches, or other building afore-
said, or for the purchase or improvement of any ceme-
tery or burial-ground. But all such lands shall re-
vert to the donor or grantor, his or her heirs or assigns,
it not disposed or within the time aforesaid.

Sec, 9, The said trustees, or wardens and vestry-
men shall also have authority under the direction of
the society or congregation to erect churches and
meeting-houses, dwellings for their minivers or their
priests, or other buildings for the direct and legiti-
mate use of their church, congregation, or society, to
niter and repair the same, but for no secular purpose ;
and also under the direction of the society or congre-
gation, to give, execute, or acknowledge, in their offi^
cuil capacity, any obligations and securities upon the
property of such church, congregation, or society for
be payment of just liabilities which have been, or may
hereafter be, created in the erection or repair of such

OX CHURCH PROPERTY. ' 5

church, meeting-house, or other building. (Setsion latts
of 1861.)

Sec. 10. They shall also have authority to make
rules and orders for managing the temporal affairs of
such church, congregation, or society, and to dispose
of all moneys belonging thereto, and to order and reg-
ulate the renting of pews or slips in their meeting-
houses and churches, and the perquisites for the break-
ing of the ground and burial of the dead in the ceme-
tery or churchyard, and in the said churches or meet-
ing-houses.

Sec, 11. They may appoint a clerk and a treasurer
of their board and a collector to collect their rents and
revenues, and may regulate the fees to be allowed such
clerk, treasurer, and collector, and may remove them
and appoint others in their stead at pleasure ; and such
clerk shall enter all rules and orders made by such
trustees, and payments ordered by them, in a book to
be procured by them for that purpose.

Sec. 12. Any two of the trustees may at any time
call a meeting of the trustees, and a majority of them,
being lawfully convened, shall be competent to do and
perform all matters and things which such trustees are
authorized to do and perform : and said trustees may
elect the minister, priest, curate, rector, parson, or of-
ficiating clergyman of said society, for the lime being
to preside at such meetings, who shall have no vote
except in case of a tie of the board, when he shall
have a casting vote.

Sec. 13. The said trustees shall hold l heir officer
for three years : and immediately after their first elec-
tion, as hereinbefore provided, the said trustees shall
bo divided by lot into three classes, numbered, one,
two, and three ; and the scats of the first class shall
be vacated at the end of the first year, of the second
at the end of the second year, and of the third class
at the end of the third year, to the end that as near as
may be, one -third part of the whole number of the
trustees may be annually chosen.

Sec. 14. * It shall be the duty of the clerk of the
said trustees, at least one month before the expiration
of the office of any of said trustees, to notify the same

LAW OF MICHIGAN

in writing to the imnister, priest, curate, r^tor. p ;ir _
son, or officiating clergyman, or in ease of his de-it],
or absence, to the elders or church. wardens, or if
there be no elders or church-wardens, then to the den

T?Jl VC!itI ™ of ™y church, congregation,
or society specifying m such notice the names of the
trustees whose office will expire: and the minister
priest, curate, rector, parson, or other officer receiving
such notice shall in manner aforesaid, notify the
members of said church, congregation, or society, of
such vacancies, and appoint the time and place for tfie
election to supply the same.

Sec. 15. Such elections shall bo held at least six
days before vacancies shall occur as aforesaid • and
all such subsequent elections shall be held and con-
ducted by the like persons and in the same manner as
hereinbefore provided for the first election : and in

£?n^ ny ?< CailC ?' * h * U ° CCUrb * V the deaUl
h ^ ' "."moY^l from the society before
Ins term of office expires, or otherwise, notice thereof
shu l be given as aforesaid and an election shall be
held, and another trustee chosen hi his stead for the
remainder of his term.

Sec. 1G ; No person belonging to any such church
congregation, or society, incorporated under the pro-
visions of this act, shall be entitled to vote at any elec-
tion after the first until he shall have been an attend-
ant on public worship in g ue h church, cram-eat ion
or society at least six months next before fuch el e£
Hon, and shall have contributed to the support of such
church, congregation, or society, according to the
usages and customs thereof.

Sec. 17. The clerk of the trustees shall keen a
register of the names of all such persons as shall de-
sire to become Bin i <»1 hearers in the said church con
gregation, or society, and shall therein note the time
w&ea such request was made; and the said clerk
shall attend all subsequent elections, in order to test
he qua hhcai ion of such voters if in any case they shall
be quest n mod. J

» N . otUin S in act contained shall be
construed to give such trustees the power to fix or oa-

ON CHURCH PROPERTY.

7

certain the salary, or compensation to be paid, any
minister or priest, curate, rector, or parson, but the
same shall be ascertained and fixed by a majority of
such society, entitled to vote at the election of
trustees.

8*0, 19- U shall be lawful for the circuit court for
the county in which any such religious corporation
shall have been constituted, on the application of such
corporation, if such court shall deem it proper, to
make an order for the sale of any real estate belong-
ing to such corporation, and to direct the application
of the moneys arising therefrom, to such uses as the
said corporation, with the approbation of said court,
shall conceive to be for the interest of such corporation :
Provided, That no such sale shall be authorised by the
court- in any case where it would be inconsistent with
the express terms or plain intent of the grant, donation
conveyance, or devise by which the same was convey-
ed or devised to or for the use of such ehurch, congre-
gation, or society, prior to the passage of this act.

Sec. 20. At least thirty days* previous notice of any
auch application to the circuit court shall be given, by
publishing the same in some newspaper published in
the county, if one be there published, if not, by post-
ing up notices in three or more public places in said
county.

Sec. 21 Provides that trustees may hold land, &c.,
in trust as trustees.

Law of Indiana Relative to Holdlitsr rhurrh Property.

First. The members of the church shall elect three
or more, not over nine, trustees, and the trustees so
elected shall take count of, and make a full report of,
said election within ten days of said election, und file
a copy of it in the recorder's tiiliee of the proper coun-
ty, with the name of the church.

Second. The church shall have power then to pass
such by-law* as they may deem necessary for the fur-
ther prosecution of the design and receive by purchase

ARTICLES OF

or donation any amount of land not exceeding one
hundred acres, and not worth over five thousand dol-
lars, and when such deed is made it shall be record-
ed in the recorder's office of said county.

Organization and Regulation of Legal Societies,

The mode of organizing a legal society to control
church property under the provisions of the law of
Michigan, is as follows: —

First, Let the male members of your church and con-
gregation, of full age, who desire to form such soci-
ety, sign the following articles ; —

In pursuance of an act of the Legislature of the
State of Michigan, entitled, "An act concerning
churches or religious societies, establishing uniform
rules for the acquisition, tenure, control, and disposi-
tion of property conveyed or dedicated for religious
purposes, and to repeal chapter fifty- two of the revis-
ed statutes, approved February thirteenth, eighteen
hundred and fifty-five,"

We, the undersigned, being desirous of forming our-
selves into a religious society, do hereby agree to be
bound by the following articles of association :

ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF THE SOCIETY OF THE SEV-
ENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS OF , MICHIGAN*.

ARTICLE I.

This society shall be called the society of the Sev-
enth-day Adventists.

ARTICLE II.

This society shall be located in the of

in the State of Michigan.

ARTICLE III.

The object of this society shall be to legally hold the
house of worship and land belonging thereto, a dwell-

ASSOCIATION.

0

ing house for their minister, and such other buildings
as may be necessary for the direct and legitimate use
of the society, and to manage the temporal affairs of

the Seventh-day Adventists of ■ ; and it shall

not hold any other property : except grants, as herein-
after provided, nor transact other business aside from
tbe temporalities of the society.

ARTICLE IV.

The officers of this society shall consist of three
trustees, a clerk, and treasurer, to be appointed by
them of their number. The trustees shall be elected
for three years, except those first elected, who shall
be divided into three classes, and shall hold their of-
fices for one, two, and three years, respectively, one
being elected each ycav to fill the vacancy of the one
passing from office.

ARTICLE V.

At least fifteen days' notice shall bo given to the
congregation of the time when, and the place where,
any election shall be held, and such notice shall be
given in the manner that is, or may be provided by
law. All regular elections shall be held at least six
days before the term of office expires, and in case of a
vacancy by death or any other cause, a special elec-
tion may be held, by notice thereof being given as
aforesaid.

ARTICLE VI.

All property that may be given, grunted, conveyed,
or devised to this society, whether personal oi'Tcal es-
tate, except the house of worship and land belonging
thereto, the dwelling-house for their minister, and
such other buildings as may be necessary for the di-
rect and legitimate use of the church as before provid-
ed, shall be sold by the trustees, and the proceeds
thereof applied to the religious and benevolent pur-
poses of tho society.

lu

ARTICLES OF

ARTICLE VII.

This society may erect, alter, or improve, a church,
building, a house for their minister, and other build-
ings for the direct and legitimate use of the society, by
a vote of two thirds of the members, and dispose of the
buildings and erect others, as the wants of the congre-
gation may require, and shall have power to execute
securities for church debts, upon church property, as
provided hy law.

AHTIULE VIII,

After the first election, such persons shall be entitled
to vote as shall have subscribed io these articles at
least six months before the annual election, and shall
have been staled worshipers with this society at their
house of worship for the same period of six months,
or shall have contributed to the support of the society
according to its usages for one year.

When these articles are drawn up. and signed, ict
the elder, deacon, or. if not present, any male member,
read a notice, like the following:

NOTICE,

Being desirous uf forming ourselves into a religious
society to be known as the society of Semil h-day Ad-

ventisfs ni' _ u> legally hold and manage our

church property, an election will be held at , on

the day of , in the year 18—, for the

purpose of electing three persons to serve as trustees
of said society

Elder, IJeacon, or }femher (as the case may be).

Such notice must be given at least fifteen days be-
fore the day of election, and must be read in two Sab-
bath meetings, and those two Sabbaths must be the
last two on which you have meeting before the day of
election. See sec. 4

When you come together to hold your first election,
anize your meeting by choosing your

Digitized by the Center for Adventist R

ASSOCIATION

1 1

dder as president This may be done by some one

moving that the elder set as prcsidcni, and then vote

upon it by voice or uplifted hand as you choose.
" ---- - ^ ■ t -,t„ i v. ~ i; mn be-

t-I 2 a? 2>£

— (31 c- -i Vi ^4 A l-l if

» o « 5c' OS" * 1 be

* « » 2 £. © * 2 £ » sind

® - 5 £ 1 ®
^ 2* cr 1 I

line

5 tO

two
iec-
lea-
i be

2 = | * ? g- H * * < o p g ~ the
• S II ? ? 2 5 f g H ^ | § J The

i rti-
tten

l TO*

Lent,
tireu

^'l 2. • g- erk,

| 1 *

§' * ! f a 3. " 3- * » or

I 80-

Ad-
) the

provisions 01 tne Staimei oi mc omn; .ittt^tgan,

held at on the day of 1 18 — ,

was by a plurality of votes, chosen

president, and — — , clerk. Whereupon,

and . deacons, acted as in-

10

ARTICLES OF

ASSOCIATION.

11

ARTICLE Vil.

This society may erect, alter, or improve, a church,
building, a house for their ni!rti<Hiw w— n '

ings |
a vot]
build
gatio i
seeur 1
provi

Aft
to V'l
least
have
house
or sha
accon

Whi
the ew
read a,

Ben
societi
\- eniH
churcl
the -
purpo!
of sak

Klthr.

Sucl
fore tit

bath i —

last two on which you have meeting before thu day of
election. See see. 4.

When you come together to hold your iirst election,
you will organize your meeting by choosing your

elder as president This may be done by some one
moving that the elder act as president, and then vote
upon it by voice or uplifted hand as you choose.
The next step will be to elect a clerk for the time be-
ing, wiio may be nominated and elected in the same
manner as the president. Tour next step will be to
select two inspectors of the election. If there arc two
deacons of the church present, they are lawful inspec-
tors without any vote for them. If there ia one dea-
con present he is an inspector, and the second is to be
chosen by circulating blank ballots and letting all who
have signed the articles write upon the ballots the
name of the person they wish to act as inspector. The
one getting the greatest number of ballots is the other
inspector. If there is no deacon present, both inspec-
tors shall be elected as above.

The president shall then announce that the inspec-
tors are to pass blank ballots on which he wishes you
to write the names of three male subscribers to the arti-
cles, to serve as trustees, the three names to be written
at one balloting. The president must caution the vo-
ters not to write the name of any officer of the church
on their ballots, for the law says the trustees shall be
laymen. The inspectors shall take up the ballols and
examine and report to the president, who shall declare
the vote. The three persons receiving the highest
number of votes arc the three trustees. The trustees
shall then draw cuts from the hand of the president ,
to decide who shall serve one. who two, and who three
years.

When they are thus divided, the president, clerk,
and inspectors should make a writing like the fol-
lowing :

At a meeting of persona who had signed Articles of
Association for the purpose of forming a religious so-
ciety to be known as the society of Seventh -day Ad-

ventists of — , Michigan, notified according to the

provisions of the statutes of the Stale of Michigan,

held at , on the day of ? 18—,

wag by a plurality of votes, chosen

, clerk, Whereupon,

. deacons, acted as in-

president, and
and

Digitized by the Center for Adventist Research

12

INSPECTORS' CERTIFICATE.

speotors of election for the eWtinn „<■ ,
wciefy, who mske (he fo fowl™ cerfifi, [T^* for 8aid
laymen nre chosen as inwJ n ?. tC * ^ case two
one deacon", 8 *

Rectors of election *- eac ??: — ~ * ns in-

, CYcM-. * President,

tsai'Kuroiis ? chitrjfi t : ATK .

vis £ b^^JP^^**^ of

nom u ig othce tor one voar

for two years, and 1^ { "

In wit« css whereof we have here! feWS
"iiil srni,, ifjja dav f ei€mitostt ^ Hands

our Lord one thousand eight hunored^nd — IT ° f

Inspectors < ' , [l. a. 1

1 ~ • [> M

The inspectors shall then fro t n i
peace, or notary Diiblic n ,»i g m.2 T JUSilce of th «

the certificate? and have Ms MS^T ^ mem of
ment on the back SEE* « . ? 1-? of *<* n °»'ledg-
■ aC Dack ' " hlch m W read like the following ; :

State of Michigan, \
County of \ M«-

Un this day of . n ,o_ , ,

edged to mc that he "eel/ Ckn ° WK

for i County, Michigan.

FOR At OF i'LEKK's NOTICE.

13

Then the articles of association mid the above certif-
icate should he filed for record in the County Clerk's
office, and from the time of such filing, you are a body
corporate, empowered to receive and hold the property
of the church.

On being notified of their election, the trustees
shall choose one of their number as clerk, who shall
fulfill his office as set forth in sections 11. 14. and 17.
They shall also choose one of t heir number as a treas-
urer to pay out funds by order of the board of trust-
ees (sec. 11).

The notice for any election after the first is provid-
ed for in sections 14 and 15.

Such elections will be conducted in ih<* same num.
tier as the first, with the exception of chousing a clerk,
for the clerk of trustees is a clerk of the meetings for
election. See sections 15, 8, 5, 17. No certificate is
made of any election after the first, but a record is
made of the proceedings and election of trustees, on the
society's books (not the church book). See section 11.

FORM 01? CLERK'S XOTTdK, SEE 8KCS. 14, 16.

— , Michigan, , 18 — .

To , Elder in charge of the society of

I he Seventh-day Adveiitisls nf .

You are hereby notified that the expiration of the

term of office of , one > i die. trustees of

this society, will terminate on the day of

next.

This notice is thus given in order that you may noti
fy your congregation publicly of the time when and
the place where an election will be held to fill the va
canny, said notice to be read lor t wo successive Sab-
baths, last before such election, and be given at least
fifteen days before such election, and such elect iou
must be held six days before the ex] lira t ion of the snid
term of office.

, Clerk of Trustees.

The person receiving this notice shall read to I bo
congregation a written notice as require" 1 by Jaw.
(see sections 14, 4, } as follows r

14

LAW OF MICHIGAN

NOTICE,

An election will be held at , on the

day of , at o'clock, (a. m„ or p. m.,

as the case may be), for the purpose of electing a trus-
tee to fill the vacancy occasioned by the expiration of
the term of office of . wind) term ex-
pires on the day — next.

— ^. Eider.

, . 18—

Low of Michigan Respecting Wills to Religious

Societies*

Sections 22, 23, provides that no officer of a church
can Iiold property an a trustee, and that every gift,
grant, devise, bequest, convey an ce, or lease, of any
real estate, &c, made to such officer by Ins name of
office . . . . shall be void to all intents and purposes.

Sec. 24. Every devise, gift, or bequest of real es-
tate, or any interest therein, or money or other prop-
erty to l»e invested therein, or to arise from the pro-
ceeds thereof, or of any benefit, use. or trust to be
connected therewith, hereafter made or attempted to
be made by last will or testament shall be void, so far
as such devise, gift, or bequest, shall be or purport to
be made, directly or indirectly, to or for the use of
any church, congregation, religions order, or religious
society , or to or for the use of any ecclesiastical, edu-
cational, or eleemosynary institution connected or to
be connected with, or under the control or direction
of any such church, congregation, order, or society*
or under the control or direction, or subject to the
visitor ial power of any officer or officers, or other au-
thority of such church, congregation, order, or society,
in his, her, or their official or ecclesiastical capacity,
unless such will shall have been duly executed, and
shall have remained for at least two months prior to
the death of the testator, without alteration or codicil,
unfile with the judge of probate of the n unity in which

ON WILLS TO RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 15

ihc testator may reside; and no donation or gift, or
other transfer, by deed, lease, or other form of convey-
ance, not testamentary, without valuable or pecuniary
consideration to a reasonable amount, of any lands or
real estate, or any interest therein, or moneys to arise
therefrom, or to be invested therein, hereafter made
or attempted to be made to or for the use of either or
any of the parties, for any or cither of the purposes in
this section above mentioned, shall be valid for any
purpose whatever, unless such deed or other convey-
ance shall have been duly executed and acknowledged,
and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds for
the proper county, for at least two months prior to
the death of the grantor or donor.

Sat\ 25. Every gift, bequest, legacy, or donation,
of any money or personal property to the amount of
one hundred dollars or more, hereafter made by last
will or testament, to or for the use of any or either of
the parties, or for any or either purposes mentioned in
the last preceding section, shall be utterly void unless
such la>t will *>r testament shall be executed nt the
time it bears date, in the presence of and attested by
three subscribing witnesses? and unless the person
executing the same shall also declare to said witnesses
at the time of the execution thereof, that the whole of
said will or testament has been read to or by him oi-
lier, and that he or she knows and fully understands
the contents thereof. — Law* af 1801,

Sec. 26. grant, conveyance, devise, or lease of
any real estate, dedicated or appropriated to the pur-
poses of religious worship, or for any religious or ec-
clesiastical purposes, or appearing to be intended to
be managed or controlled by any congregation or so-
ciety, or any officer or officers thereof, in his or their
ullicial capacity, shall hereafter vest tiny right, liHe or
interest in any person or persons to whom such grant,
conveyance, devise, or lease may be made, unle»* the
same shall he made i>> u corporation organized under
some statute of this State, or of the late Territory of
Michigan, or under the provisions of this art . ot some
act hereafter passed, amending or altering the same,

LAW OF MICHIGAN OX WILLS, 4C.

Legacies,

Those who wish to will a portion of their proper-
ty to the Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Associa-
tion, can insert in their will the following :

FORM OP A BEQUEST.

I bequeath to my executor (or executors) the sum of

dollars in trust, to pay the same in days

after my decease, to the person who, when the same
is payable, shall act as treasurer of the Seventh-day
Adventist Publishing Association, Battle Creek, Mich-
igan, to be applied under the direction of the trustees
of that Association, to its charitable uses and purposes.

The will should be attested by three witnesses (in
some States three are required, in other States only
two), who should write against their names their
places of residence (if in cities, the street and number)
f he following form of attestation will answer for ev-
ery state in the Union :

Signed, sealed, published, and declared by the said

» a s his last will and testament in the

presence of us, who at the request of the said

— 1— ? and in his presence, and in the presence of
OOCh i»l her. have hereunto subscribed our names as
witnesses,

A* laws respecting wills are not the same in all
States, those designing to will property to the Sev-
enth-day Advent ist Publishing Association, will do
Will to obtain the best legal counsel in reference to
the matter, before executing the same,

li^perilnllv submitted, in behalf of (he Michigan
:md N or I her u Indiana Conference. i s . i

4NDREV'\ 3 U ?S!TY

ICWMLN SPRINGS, MICHIGAN

HERITAGE ROOM

THE

TWENTY - THREE HUNDRED DAYS

OF

DANIEL VIII, 14

STEAM PRESS

OF THE SEVENTH— BAT AIWKNTIST PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION,

BATTLE CREEK, MICH.

1868.